David Belbin
@davidbelbin.bsky.social
Nottingham novelist. Poetry reader. Music nerd. Movie lover. From October 25-March 26, I'm publishing 'Greeneland' a serial novel set 100 years ago, covering Graham Greene's 4 months in Nottingham davidbelbin.substack.com. A dog, a job, a woman & a church.
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David Belbin
@davidbelbin.bsky.social
· Oct 25
Greeneland | Substack
A serial novel set a hundred years ago when the author Graham Greene moved to Nottingham, where he trained to be a journalist, lived among the working classes, cared for a puppy, wooed the woman he lo...
davidbelbin.substack.com
Positively the last pre-publication plug for Greeneland, my serial novel about the critical four months Graham Greene spent in Nottingham - each chapter free: 100 years to the day after the events it describes. On Friday, I’ll publish the title page, epigraph and prologue.
davidbelbin.substack.com
davidbelbin.substack.com
I've stopped doing an annual best of year CD or playing list. Happily Said The Gramophone's @swanmichaels.bsky.social still does it. His best 100 songs of 2025 are available to stream, read about and/or download are here. Always a useful, interesting listen. www.saidthegramophone.com/archives/bes...
Said the Gramophone: BEST SONGS OF 2025
www.saidthegramophone.com
December 2, 2025 at 4:28 PM
I've stopped doing an annual best of year CD or playing list. Happily Said The Gramophone's @swanmichaels.bsky.social still does it. His best 100 songs of 2025 are available to stream, read about and/or download are here. Always a useful, interesting listen. www.saidthegramophone.com/archives/bes...
Took a seven year old to her first pantomime, Sleeping Beauty at @nottmplayhouse.bsky.social and she loved it (as did her dad and I). Adam Penford delivers another cracking comedy with an exuberant cast, sneaking in three political jokes. nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk/events/sleep...
Sleeping Beauty - Nottingham Playhouse
Prepare to be spellbound as our legendary Nottingham Playhouse panto 2025/26 is the tale of Sleeping Beauty!
nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk
December 1, 2025 at 10:06 PM
Took a seven year old to her first pantomime, Sleeping Beauty at @nottmplayhouse.bsky.social and she loved it (as did her dad and I). Adam Penford delivers another cracking comedy with an exuberant cast, sneaking in three political jokes. nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk/events/sleep...
Thread about the Beach Boys and one of my favourite movies.
OK so it's dark and rainy and I feel like this story should be shared. The movie Grace Of My Heart is a sort of 'film á clef' loosely based on Carole King's life, interpolating a fictional romance with a character based on Brian Wilson. Musical director J Mascis said they HAD TO use a theremin...
Allison also told an absolutely fucking great Beach Boys anecdote (from Grace Of My Heart soundtrack recording sessions) which would on its own make this one of the great Q&As
December 1, 2025 at 6:14 PM
Thread about the Beach Boys and one of my favourite movies.
Sad to read of the death of Daniel Woodrell, a terrific novelist who gave us a vivid, memorable Ozarks. Learnt a lot about him from this obituary. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/30/o...
Daniel Woodrell, ‘Country Noir’ Novelist of ‘Winter’s Bone,’ Dies at 72
www.nytimes.com
December 1, 2025 at 9:59 AM
Sad to read of the death of Daniel Woodrell, a terrific novelist who gave us a vivid, memorable Ozarks. Learnt a lot about him from this obituary. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/30/o...
Lovely hour at Bromley House Library. John Goodridge talked to Ian Collins about Blythe Spirit, his new biography of the great Ronald Blythe, who I was lucky enough to know via Stanley Middleton. Here he is having a sherry at Bromley House in 2006 when John and I organised them a joint book launch.
November 29, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Lovely hour at Bromley House Library. John Goodridge talked to Ian Collins about Blythe Spirit, his new biography of the great Ronald Blythe, who I was lucky enough to know via Stanley Middleton. Here he is having a sherry at Bromley House in 2006 when John and I organised them a joint book launch.
A cool way to help folk is to set up a Lend With Care account. Lend money to people in third world countries (farmers, small business), create jobs & ease poverty. Use the repayments to lend more money. Top up your loans when you can afford it. Here's your first £15. lendwithcare.org/referral/2YF...
Microfinance from CARE International UK
CARE International's microfinance lending initiative
lendwithcare.org
November 28, 2025 at 4:32 PM
A cool way to help folk is to set up a Lend With Care account. Lend money to people in third world countries (farmers, small business), create jobs & ease poverty. Use the repayments to lend more money. Top up your loans when you can afford it. Here's your first £15. lendwithcare.org/referral/2YF...
Introduce yourself with five concerts you've seen.
Can with Damo Suzuki
Cliff Richard and The Shadows
Amy Winehouse
Millie Jackson
Little Simz
Can with Damo Suzuki
Cliff Richard and The Shadows
Amy Winehouse
Millie Jackson
Little Simz
Introduce yourself with five concerts you've seen;
Captain Beefheart
Roxy Music
Miles Davis
The Clash
Suicide
Captain Beefheart
Roxy Music
Miles Davis
The Clash
Suicide
Introduce yourself with five concerts you've seen:
Prince
Lady Gaga
David Byrne
Destiny’s Child
Kate Bush
Prince
Lady Gaga
David Byrne
Destiny’s Child
Kate Bush
November 28, 2025 at 11:30 AM
Introduce yourself with five concerts you've seen.
Can with Damo Suzuki
Cliff Richard and The Shadows
Amy Winehouse
Millie Jackson
Little Simz
Can with Damo Suzuki
Cliff Richard and The Shadows
Amy Winehouse
Millie Jackson
Little Simz
Very glad I was introduced to Jack Shepherd two years ago at Trevor Griffiths' funeral. I was able to tell him how much his performance in Trevor's series Bill Brand meant to me as an 18 year old. A fine, forceful actor and a lovely man with an incredibly strong body of work to remember him by. RIP.
November 26, 2025 at 10:23 AM
Very glad I was introduced to Jack Shepherd two years ago at Trevor Griffiths' funeral. I was able to tell him how much his performance in Trevor's series Bill Brand meant to me as an 18 year old. A fine, forceful actor and a lovely man with an incredibly strong body of work to remember him by. RIP.
The Man Who (Almost) Got Away. Terrific Ray Banks piece on Charles Willeford, who I wrote about on my blog recently and whose excellent The Shark-Infested Custard I'm reading at the moment. Led me to track down the 1999 movie of his fine novel The Woman Chaser. raybanks.substack.com/p/the-man-wh...?
The Man Who (Almost) Got Away
"Isn't the making of money the reason for existence? Isn't it? After rolling down the driveway that evening, I learned that it wasn't ..."
raybanks.substack.com
November 25, 2025 at 5:21 PM
The Man Who (Almost) Got Away. Terrific Ray Banks piece on Charles Willeford, who I wrote about on my blog recently and whose excellent The Shark-Infested Custard I'm reading at the moment. Led me to track down the 1999 movie of his fine novel The Woman Chaser. raybanks.substack.com/p/the-man-wh...?
The BBC demonstrates the paralysing power of elites by cancelling its broadcast of a lecture about 'the paralyzing power of elites.'
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
November 25, 2025 at 10:05 AM
The BBC demonstrates the paralysing power of elites by cancelling its broadcast of a lecture about 'the paralyzing power of elites.'
Wrote a thing about Constraints in The Novel, with a side note on Ian McEwan, in relation to my serialised novel about Graham Greene in Nottingham 100 years ago, all of it free to read at davidbelbin.substack.com/p/bonus-post...
November 24, 2025 at 2:25 PM
Wrote a thing about Constraints in The Novel, with a side note on Ian McEwan, in relation to my serialised novel about Graham Greene in Nottingham 100 years ago, all of it free to read at davidbelbin.substack.com/p/bonus-post...
Another Bob Dylan encore in Kilkenny last night, this time a song last peformed when I saw him in New Orleans in 24. The Banks of the Old Ponchartrain (not Lakes, as the YouTube has it). Want to compare the two versions? Here they are: www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_7t...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=5B2Y...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=5B2Y...
Bob Dylan - On The Banks Of The Old Pontchartrain Live Debut - New Orleans, Louisiana - 1 April 2024
YouTube video by Mark Casserly
www.youtube.com
November 24, 2025 at 12:28 PM
Another Bob Dylan encore in Kilkenny last night, this time a song last peformed when I saw him in New Orleans in 24. The Banks of the Old Ponchartrain (not Lakes, as the YouTube has it). Want to compare the two versions? Here they are: www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_7t...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=5B2Y...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=5B2Y...
Reposted by David Belbin
Last night, for the first time in ages, Bob Dylan played an encore (last time in the UK was I Can't Seem To Say Goodbye at Nottingham in 22, after Jerry Lee Lewis died). Last night's encore was a 2016 Van Morrison song, Going Down To Bangor. Presumably Van was there? www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKVV...
Bob Dylan — Going Down to Bangor. Belfast. November 20, 2025. Song by Van Morrison
YouTube video by nightly moth
www.youtube.com
November 21, 2025 at 6:04 PM
Last night, for the first time in ages, Bob Dylan played an encore (last time in the UK was I Can't Seem To Say Goodbye at Nottingham in 22, after Jerry Lee Lewis died). Last night's encore was a 2016 Van Morrison song, Going Down To Bangor. Presumably Van was there? www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKVV...
Last night, for the first time in ages, Bob Dylan played an encore (last time in the UK was I Can't Seem To Say Goodbye at Nottingham in 22, after Jerry Lee Lewis died). Last night's encore was a 2016 Van Morrison song, Going Down To Bangor. Presumably Van was there? www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKVV...
Bob Dylan — Going Down to Bangor. Belfast. November 20, 2025. Song by Van Morrison
YouTube video by nightly moth
www.youtube.com
November 21, 2025 at 6:04 PM
Last night, for the first time in ages, Bob Dylan played an encore (last time in the UK was I Can't Seem To Say Goodbye at Nottingham in 22, after Jerry Lee Lewis died). Last night's encore was a 2016 Van Morrison song, Going Down To Bangor. Presumably Van was there? www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKVV...
Reposted by David Belbin
My project with Dr Sue Dymoke, so deeply meaningful to me, has now been published in Writing in Practice from @nawewriters.bsky.social.
It will keep growing from here!
www.nawe.co.uk/DB/current-w...
It will keep growing from here!
www.nawe.co.uk/DB/current-w...
04. Found Poetry Digital Space: Constructing a Model to Enhance Children’s Confidence in Writing and Sharing :: National Association of Writers in Education ::
www.nawe.co.uk
November 21, 2025 at 2:38 AM
My project with Dr Sue Dymoke, so deeply meaningful to me, has now been published in Writing in Practice from @nawewriters.bsky.social.
It will keep growing from here!
www.nawe.co.uk/DB/current-w...
It will keep growing from here!
www.nawe.co.uk/DB/current-w...
This is an excellent interview with Rickie Lee Jones. Long, great Van Morrison section. No argument that Veedon Fleece is his finest album btw but @andrewmale.bsky.social & Rickie Lee's confusion over its track order makes sense when you see the cover: it lists the songs in entirely the wrong order.
November 20, 2025 at 7:04 PM
This is an excellent interview with Rickie Lee Jones. Long, great Van Morrison section. No argument that Veedon Fleece is his finest album btw but @andrewmale.bsky.social & Rickie Lee's confusion over its track order makes sense when you see the cover: it lists the songs in entirely the wrong order.
Reposted by David Belbin
We’re looking forward to the online launch of ‘Hôtel Amour’ by Deryn Rees-Jones @notjustdancing.bsky.social tomorrow night, 18 November, from 7pm. It’s not too late to register for the link www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1765466972.... Deryn will be reading alongside @oliviamcc.bsky.social & Menna Elfyn.
November 17, 2025 at 3:42 PM
We’re looking forward to the online launch of ‘Hôtel Amour’ by Deryn Rees-Jones @notjustdancing.bsky.social tomorrow night, 18 November, from 7pm. It’s not too late to register for the link www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1765466972.... Deryn will be reading alongside @oliviamcc.bsky.social & Menna Elfyn.
Reposted by David Belbin
The government should be ashamed that its migration policies are being cheered on by Tommy Robinson and Reform.
Instead of standing up to anti-migrant hate, this is laying the foundations for the far-right.
I questioned the Home Secretary on how she can be proposing such obviously cruel policies.
Instead of standing up to anti-migrant hate, this is laying the foundations for the far-right.
I questioned the Home Secretary on how she can be proposing such obviously cruel policies.
November 17, 2025 at 4:27 PM
The government should be ashamed that its migration policies are being cheered on by Tommy Robinson and Reform.
Instead of standing up to anti-migrant hate, this is laying the foundations for the far-right.
I questioned the Home Secretary on how she can be proposing such obviously cruel policies.
Instead of standing up to anti-migrant hate, this is laying the foundations for the far-right.
I questioned the Home Secretary on how she can be proposing such obviously cruel policies.
My first short story was published in Ambit 36 years ago. They put 'Dave' on the story but 'David' on the cover. The realisation that just because everyone called me Dave didn't mean I had to go along with it & that David was taken more seriously got me to change the name on my debut novel's cover.
My dad got so sick of being called David when he was palpably a Dave that he changed his name - by deed poll - to “Dave”.
November 7, 2025 at 12:30 PM
My first short story was published in Ambit 36 years ago. They put 'Dave' on the story but 'David' on the cover. The realisation that just because everyone called me Dave didn't mean I had to go along with it & that David was taken more seriously got me to change the name on my debut novel's cover.
Reposted by David Belbin
Looking forward to this @serenbooks.bsky.social online event 18 November 7pm: An evening of poetry celebrating the publication of ‘Hôtel Amour’ by Deryn Rees-Jones @notjustdancing.bsky.social, with readings by Deryn and guests Menna Elfyn and Olivia McCannon. @pavilionpoetry.bsky.social
Poetry Book Launch | Hôtel Amour by Deryn Rees-Jones
Join us online for an evening of poetry celebrating publication of ‘Hôtel Amour’ by Deryn Rees-Jones.
www.eventbrite.co.uk
November 5, 2025 at 1:32 PM
Looking forward to this @serenbooks.bsky.social online event 18 November 7pm: An evening of poetry celebrating the publication of ‘Hôtel Amour’ by Deryn Rees-Jones @notjustdancing.bsky.social, with readings by Deryn and guests Menna Elfyn and Olivia McCannon. @pavilionpoetry.bsky.social
The prologue to my serial novel about Graham Greene in Nottingham 100 years ago, 'Greeneland', appeared today. There's still time to sign up & get it all delivered to your inbox, free over the next four months. Also, yes, I know that isn't how you spell Berkhamsted. open.substack.com/pub/davidbel...
GREENELAND
David Belbin
open.substack.com
October 31, 2025 at 8:02 PM
The prologue to my serial novel about Graham Greene in Nottingham 100 years ago, 'Greeneland', appeared today. There's still time to sign up & get it all delivered to your inbox, free over the next four months. Also, yes, I know that isn't how you spell Berkhamsted. open.substack.com/pub/davidbel...
Fascinating Neil Kinnock letter about Bob Worcester in today’s Guardian. Labour is misguidedly opposed to Electoral Reform but should know better. Under FPTP it lost the 1992 General Election by just 1,240 votes.
October 29, 2025 at 9:55 AM
Fascinating Neil Kinnock letter about Bob Worcester in today’s Guardian. Labour is misguidedly opposed to Electoral Reform but should know better. Under FPTP it lost the 1992 General Election by just 1,240 votes.
Jack DeJohnette drummed on so many of my favourite albums - with Charles Lloyd, Miles Davis and Keith Jarrett amongst others. A genius of jazz. RIP.
Jack DeJohnette, just one of the deepest musicians ever, and a personal hero. Here is my obituary for NPR Music.
Jack DeJohnette, dynamic and instantly recognizable jazz drummer, dies at 83
Jack DeJohnette, of the most daring and singular jazz drummers of the last 60 years, died on Sunday.
www.npr.org
October 27, 2025 at 11:19 PM
Jack DeJohnette drummed on so many of my favourite albums - with Charles Lloyd, Miles Davis and Keith Jarrett amongst others. A genius of jazz. RIP.
Positively the last pre-publication plug for Greeneland, my serial novel about the critical four months Graham Greene spent in Nottingham - each chapter free: 100 years to the day after the events it describes. On Friday, I’ll publish the title page, epigraph and prologue.
davidbelbin.substack.com
davidbelbin.substack.com
Greeneland | Substack
A serial novel set a hundred years ago when the author Graham Greene moved to Nottingham, where he trained to be a journalist, lived among the working classes, cared for a puppy, wooed the woman he lo...
davidbelbin.substack.com
October 25, 2025 at 12:30 PM
Positively the last pre-publication plug for Greeneland, my serial novel about the critical four months Graham Greene spent in Nottingham - each chapter free: 100 years to the day after the events it describes. On Friday, I’ll publish the title page, epigraph and prologue.
davidbelbin.substack.com
davidbelbin.substack.com
Public service announcement: the best ghost film so far this century, Alejandro Amenábar's sublime The Others, is on BBC4 & iPlayer next week. If you like ghost stories and haven't seen it before, I envy you.
October 23, 2025 at 2:09 PM
Public service announcement: the best ghost film so far this century, Alejandro Amenábar's sublime The Others, is on BBC4 & iPlayer next week. If you like ghost stories and haven't seen it before, I envy you.